Coolmore outbids colt's admirers

Most successful buyers at leading yearling sales have concealed contempt for underbidders.

Not Tom Magnier, who paid a resolute $1.975 million for the Fastnet Rock-Celebria colt at New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka Yearling Sales yesterday.

Magnier was delighted his underbidder for the colt was Black Caviar's Victorian trainer Peter Moody.

"Peter's a great judge and so is David Ellis.

"I had two of the best horse judges around chasing me so it gave me confidence," said Magnier, son of Coolmore Stud principal John Magnier.

Tom Magnier had his father in Ireland- at inhospitable hours - on his cellphone during the bidding.

Magnier showed grit when he went to $1.975 million instead of $2 million to perhaps freeze Peter Moody out of business on the wrong foot in bidding.

For the sake of $25,000 he presented Moody with the opportunity to hit the $2 million threshold himself.

Why? "You must always buy horses as cheaply as you can."

Well, yeah perhaps. That's tough thinking. Magnier wouldn't be drawn on whether this was the one horse Coolmore Stud was interested in this week.

"He was definitely one we were attracted to. He is a lovely individual and a great mover. We just need some luck now."

Magnier said plans at this stage were to send the colt to David Hayes in Australia.

Coolmore's biggest recent buy before this was the A$1 million ($1.24 million) it paid for a Fastnet Rock yearling in Australia.

Yes, luck can play a big part in picking out yearlings. Ask Shaune Ritchie. And Stephen Marsh.

Two years ago Ritchie had the hots for a Bachelor Duke colt at the Karaka yearling sales. The colt, offered by The Oaks Stud, turned out to be Diamond Duke. Problem at the time was Marsh also wanted the colt.

"Stephen asked me how much money I had for the horse and I said quite a bit," said Ritchie at Karaka yesterday. "He said he had only $100,000, so he stepped aside and let me have him."

Diamond Duke suggested outstanding ability when he won brilliantly on debut at Ellerslie, but later he disappointed.

The Oaks Stud has a policy of farming out the horses it intends racing itself to the trainers who have bought its yearlings in the sale ring.

Because of the Diamond Duke purchase Ritchie got the first pick of a paddock of fillies.

"Zurella was a standout and I got her and Rick [Williams] threw in Artistic as a bonus. I ended up with an Oaks one-two result from buying that colt."

On the basis that one good turn deserves another, Marsh got his reward. At last year's Karaka sale, Marsh and Ritchie liked the same filly.

"We compared notes and this time I had only $100,000 and Stephen said he was prepared to go to $150,000. This time I stepped aside and Stephen got her for $90,000."

The filly was Ruud Awakening, winner of the Karaka Million at Ellerslie on Sunday.